MIDAS

Thursday, September 3, 2009

வரலாறு

சரித்திரம் என்பது விளம்பர மனிதரின்
சாகச முத்திரைகள் - கடல்
தெறித்திடும் போதினில் புகைப்பட மாகிடும்
சிற்சில நீரலைகள்!

ஆயிரங் கோடி மனிதரில் ஒருசிலர்
அடைகிற பிரபலங்கள் - பல
ஆயிர மாயிரம் பெயரை மறைத்திடும்
அற்புதப் புதைகுழிகள்!

வையத்து மாந்தர் நடந்துசென் றேகிய
வழிகளின் ஓவியங்கள் - சில
பொய்யையும் தூக்கி
மெய்யென ஆக்கிப்புகன்றிடும் மூலங்கள்

-மு.மேத்தா-

Super Seniors-81-Year Marriage

Anita Milford was happily married for 81 years. Now, she'll have to find a way to go on alone.Her husband, Frank Milford, died in the couple's assisted living home in Plymouth, southwest England. He was 101.

Super Seniors Frank and Anita Milford of Plym

outh, England, celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary on May 26. That Frank had died at the age of 101. Anita was at his side, holding his hand. They were recognized as the longest-married couple in Britain.

The Milfords met in 1926 at a YMCA dance in Plymouth. They were married two years later.
They were recognized as the longest-married couple currently in Britain. In February 2010, they would have broken the record of 81 years and 260 days for the longest British marriage ever.

Anita Milford, also 101, was with her husband when he died. "She's very upset obviously, but she was sitting holding his hand when he passed away," their son, also named Frank.

"For the past three weeks or so he hadn’t been eating or drinking and I think we all realized he was ready to die," the 76-year-old son said. "He knew it was his time and I think he simply died of old age."

When they celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary in May, the Milfords credited daily disagreements for keeping their marriage strong. "Not big rows, just the odd cross word," Anita Milford told The Times of London. "As far as I am concerned, it’s healthy."

The couple had two children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Home Interior Design Themes-Series-005

Free Standing Butler Toilet Tissue Holder With Pinched Nose

Are you looking for a little humor to brighten up your bathroom? If so you might be seeking something which offers both light relief and a functional yet decorative quality. With this in mind I would like to introduce you to this delightfully helpful butler toilet tissue holder made from hand-painted resin. It’s a bathroom accessory that will bring a smile to all the family and visiting guests.

Placed beside the toilet, this free standing butler tissue holder will provide a close-to-hand supply of toilet paper. Beneath the top hat is a place to store a second toilet roll for when the first runs empty. This gives the benefit of being able to hide the extra roll away from the visual ambiance of the interior and keep the bathroom uncluttered.

One problem might be the height of the butler toilet tissue holder. As one can see it is placed low to the ground. However, by placing the butler on a small table, shelf or decorative box, this can be overcome. If you have children in the household or often have nieces, nephews and/or grandchildren visiting, this will make a wonderfully humorous focus for naughty little minds. Poop time will never be the same again. It’ll make a super gift for a son or daughter leaving home to go to Uni as well.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

World's oldest dog dies in NY at 21 — or 147

Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday. The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.

Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said. "She once ate an entire bag of Reese's peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure," Shaughnessy added. Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world's oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.

Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world's oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May. Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said. Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn't entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.

"Dogs are God's angels sent here to look out for us," Denice Shaughnessy said. A dog from New Iberia, La., named Max, is vying for the record of world's oldest dog. Owner Janelle Derouen said Max marked his 26th birthday on Aug. 9. She said Guinness World Records officials were reviewing documents to authenticate his age; a Guinness World Records official in London didn't immediately answer an e-mail from The Associated Press requesting confirmation of that.

When asked the secret to her dog's long life, Derouen said she was shocked he's still with her.

NEW YORK – A wire-haired dachshund that held the record as the world's oldest dog and celebrated its last birthday with a party at a dog hotel and spa has died at age 21 — or 147 in dog years. The dog, named Chanel, died Friday of natural causes at her owners' home in suburban Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.

Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday. The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.

Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said. "She once ate an entire bag of Reese's peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure," Shaughnessy added. Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world's oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.

Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world's oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May. Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said. Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn't entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.

"Dogs are God's angels sent here to look out for us," Denice Shaughnessy said. A dog from New Iberia, La., named Max, is vying for the record of world's oldest dog. Owner Janelle Derouen said Max marked his 26th birthday on Aug. 9. She said Guinness World Records officials were reviewing documents to authenticate his age; a Guinness World Records official in London didn't immediately answer an e-mail from The Associated Press requesting confirmation of that.

When asked the secret to her dog's long life, Derouen said she was shocked he's still with her.

Home Interior Design Themes-Series-004

The Refurbished Home of Belgian Architect Leon Stynen

I was recently browsing a photography site and saw the refurbished interiors of what was once the home of Modernist architect Leon Stynen. Built in 1933, the house in the city of Antwerp was one of nine that the famous Belgian designer created for the city council. Originally, Stynen wanted to mimic the modernist housing complex of Weissenhofsiedlung in Stuttgart. This German housing complex consisted of an estate of working class housing which became the symbolic international style of modern architecture. Mies van der Rohe was one of the principle architects involved.

Leon Stynen is probably the foremost Belgian architect of the 20th Century. The scope of his work was legendry and his works are seen throughout Belgium and indeed across Europe. His style can be considered close to that of the more internationally acclaimed designer LeCorbusier who Stynen was good friends with during the latter part of his career. They both also knew well one of the designers I studied most at Art School, one Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus.

Buildings designed by Leon Stynen include the Casino in Oostende (1949) and the Church of Harelbeke (1952), which in itself was an interesting piece of work merely for the fact that Stynen was rather anti-clerical.

The pictures below show the re-designed interiors of Stynen’s Antwerp home which was recently renovated. Much of the style and decor has been placed in a way that compliments and echoes the original style and period of his life. For anyone familiar with the works of the above designers, there will be a recognition of such features.

This wonderful spiral staircase brings to mind a quotation by the Czech playwright Vaclav Havel: “Modern man must descend the spiral of his own absurdity to the lowest point; only then can he look beyond it. It is obviously impossible to get around it, jump over it, or simply avoid it.”

The proliferation of books adorning the walls is something I greatly appreciate in any interior space. Notice in most of the pictures, books seem to be everywhere. Wonderful!